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What’s the most memorable Honda Civic paint color, past or present? Carnaby Yellow? Electron Blue Pearl? Rallye Red? Orange Fire Pearl? Nine out of 10 times, the best color in the world is the same one that’s splashed on your own vehicle(s). But when you’re making an announcement, as Honda did at the New York International Auto Show, a bright, flashy, and unexpected hue attracts more attention on the show floor.

“It’s no accident,” affirmed Guy Melville-Brown, Honda chief exterior designer for the Civic Concept coupe, of the paint seen on the car at the show. New Energy Green, as it’s called, was always the color of choice for what effectively embodies the forthcoming 10th generation of the everyman’s Honda. Expect to see the production version of the Civic, largely unchanged visually from the concept and sans the 20-inch wheels, in the late fall. A new platform and powertrains are in the mix.

So … green?

“I think it embodies a certain level of freshness,” Melville-Brown said. “I think if we went with a red, it would maybe be, in some ways, passe. We wanted this to be an exclamation mark, a fresh exclamation mark. We wanted people to take notice of it.”

Because the top new-car colors are white, black, and silver, we can’t disagree that green with a golden flake should turn heads. Our short briefing on the concept car prior to its auto show debut focused strictly on the outside body. Design started about two years ago and was led by the U.S. studio with input from colleagues in Europe and Japan. Although its basic outline is similar to the Civic Type-R Concept unveiled at the Geneva auto show last month, the difference lies in the details. We’re told the concept is lengthier, wider, and benefits from a longer hood, shorter front overhang, and tapered cabin than the current Civic. The objective was to create a “more premium and refined look.” Key buzzwords in the briefing include “aggressive,” “emotional,” and “sporty.” Honda would like more of each baked into the 2016 Civic.

Proportions were critical. “The improved proportions [over the current model] give the car a more timeless beauty,” Melville-Brown said. “This is a car that, as it starts to age, that beauty won’t fade.” Fans of exterior lighting will be drawn to the generous use of LEDs front and rear. We’re crossing our fingers for full LED headlights on the production car. The signature LED light track wrapped around the trunk was deemed mandatory to make the car instantly distinguishable, especially at night. Honda sold 325,981 Civics last year. That’s 325,981 opportunities to leave an impression at a dark intersection.

Designers are, by their nature, often intriguing and quirky individuals. We asked Melville-Brown for his favorite Civic Concept exterior detail, aka where you should inspect more closely.

“I would say it’s the rear light graphic,” the chief designer began. “I also like the front quarter; I like the haunch,” he continued. “I am very proud of the proportions of the car and the stance and the way the car sits on its wheels. I also like the chrome trim that runs around the DLO (daylight opening) — it kind of reverses back on itself and then dives into the door mirror. I think that creates a memorable side.”

Sometimes, choosing just one detail — like selecting the best color of paint — isn’t possible.